Keeper of the Springs: 2014

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Dear daughter~

I love sharing moments that girls love to share... The fun of making hot tea,

playing dress up in Mamma's clothes, learning to cook, knitting, dancing,

playing with each other's hair, painting toenails.

It is such a great responsibility...

A joyful task to raise a daughter.

May I be a good example.

May I lead and show you how a lady should be..

Strong, yet graceful.

Diligent and tender.

Let me learn from you, and you from me.

Thank Heaven for Little girls..

I love hearing you call my name.

I love having you near by...

I love hugging you, and holding your hands.

My three beautiful daughters, so precious, so different, so dear.

I love you!

I love reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder books to my children. They are so rich with stories that tell of the way life used to be. So many things can be gleaned from the books. Most evenings, before I put the kids to bed we gather together in the living room, and I'll read a chapter, or two, or three! I loved something I read recently, and wanted to share it here.

"Anybody knew that no two men were alike. You could measure cloth with a yardstick, or distance by miles, but you could not lump men together and measure them by any rule. Brains and character did not depend on anything but the man himself. Some men did not have the sense at sixty that some had at sixteen. And Almonzo considered that he was as good, any day, as any man twenty-one years old."

Almonzo Wilder in The Long Winter

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

A day in a year~

~February 4~

~February 5~

6 months old

~February 6,7~

no photo

~February 8~

a cutie for the bake sale

~February 9~

no photo

~February 10~

lunch at an outdoor cafe with this cutie

~February 11~

diaper changing time

~February 12~

no photo~

~February 13~

Ethan's creation

~February 14~

Precious Valentines

~February 15~

no photo

~February 16~

Emma turns 4!

~February 17~

Squirrel tried out the taste of an

avocado seed from our compost bin

~February 18~

Hot Chamomile tea

~February 19~

herbal/garlic ear oil

Monday, February 3, 2014

A Day in a Year~

January 21
Final meal of Daniel's fast
(yellow split pea soup with roasted brussel sprouts over avocado)

January 22
First grade

January 23
Little chef~
made these for Daddy,
completely by himself,
except for the in and out of oven part.

January 24
Aloe

January 25
Cold Saturday Morning at the outdoor market

January 26
sweet boy

January 27
the boy and his peach tree

January 28
Polar vortex~day 1

January 29
polar vortex~day 2

January 30
Sunshine

January 31
Ivy's toy

February 1
Sleepy love

February 2
precious Ivy Joy~5 months
beautiful blanket made by Auntie A

February 3
sorting colors,
making necklaces,
and sharing hugs
with Emma~
she is not the baby anymore...
and will soon be four

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Daily dose~part 3

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Galatians 3:13-14,29

***

Ephesians 6:10-17

***

God is working in you.
He wants your plans and your acts to be in keeping
with His good purpose.
Phillipians 2:13

***

Don’t worry about anything. Instead, tell God about everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to Him. Then God’s peace will watch over your hearts and your minds because you belong to Christ Jesus. God’s peace can never be completely understood.
Philippians 4:6-7

***

God didn’t give us a spirit that makes us weak and fearful. He gave us a spirit that gives us power and love. It helps us control ourselves.
2 Timothy 1:7

***

Let us hold firmly to the hope we claim to have.
The One Who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23

***

So don’t throw away your bold faith. It will bring you rich rewards.
You need to be faithful. Then you will do what God wants.
You will receive what He has promised.
Hebrews 10:35-36

***

Abraham had faith. So God made it possible for him to become a father. He became a father even though he was too old. Sarah also was too old to have children. But Abraham believed that the One who made the promise was faithful.
Hebrews 11:11

***

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

***

Are any of you sick? Then send for the elders of the church to pray over you. Ask them to anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord.The prayer offered by those who have faith will make you well. The Lord will heal you. If you have sinned, you will be forgiven. So admit to one another that you have sinned. Pray for one another so that you might be healed. The prayer of a godly person is powerful. It makes things happen.
James 5:14-16

Blessing on you as you continue your healing journey.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

They're watching~

Recently I had an afternoon that leant itself to let me pray for a period of about fifteen minutes, undisturbed. The three older children were outside playing in the back yard. Emma was inside with me, being very clingy, and acting as my shadow. Ivy Joy was enjoying some floor time in the living room, while we lingered nearby.

There were several things pressing on my heart that needed prayer. I had some good worship music on, and I began to pray. I prayed some in my own words, but the majority of the time was spent walking around the room praying in my prayer language as Holy Spirit directed. This atmosphere, out in the open with children nearby is not the normal time or place I pray uninhibited and freely. We have lots of times we pray about the day, over meals, or for specific needs, but this was altogether different. It was a wonderful time. I walked with Emma and prayed, then I would put Emma down and walk with Ivy when she became disinterested with the floor.

Emma never said anything during this time of prayer. She stayed very near me and didn't wander off in the house to play. The minutes passed, the baby became hungry, and my time of prayer and worship came to a close. Some time later, Emma (3) climbed up in my lap and said, "Mamma...why were you talking in...talking in...Chinese earlier...when you prayed?" It was her first time hearing me pray like that out loud in the house, when she was around, and really paying attention.

I told her I wasn't speaking Chinese. I gave her a hug, and shared with her about God the Father, God the Son, and God the "Holy Spirit". And that when you are filled with His Holy Spirit, you can speak in other tongues. That He can pray through you. She took it all in and said, "Oh". With a smile she jumped down, and ran off to play.

I have no idea what she thought, or what she understood about what I said. But I do know that she was paying attention enough to know it was different.

I know we all have different levels of how and when we pray, but I encourage you to pray in front of and with your kids as the Spirit leads. It doesn't always have to be the same, but let them know you pray more than just at meal time.

I honestly felt condemnation enter in thinking, "She is three years old, almost four, and I am just now praying freely in the spirit in front of her. Surely there has been another time..."

And there may very well have been, either at church or what have you. But, this day, this time, meant something different to her.

I am speaking to myself more than anyone when I say,

be transparent with your walk with Jesus.

Be real with your children.

Lead by example.

Show them how to pray.

It is simple.

They are watching, and waiting to be led.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:14-15